In the 2018 midterm elections Muslim Americans saw an opportunity to push back against anti-Muslim rhetoric and discrimination— and they seized it. Now, the first two Muslim women ever are headed to Congress.

Journalists from VOA’s Africa Division and Mandarin Service examine poaching in Africa, the multinational criminal syndicates behind it, and the efforts to reduce demand for tusks and horns in Asian countries where they are sold. Featuring three documentaries, and a graphic novel based on interviews with a smuggler and a former poacher.

The U.S. opioid epidemic rages on. The latest official estimates say 72,000 people died from drug overdoses in 2017. Most of the toll – two-thirds – involves pain pills, heroin, and the potent synthetic opioid fentanyl. This series follows Americans in three cities – Miami, Philadelphia, and Nashville, N.C. – where lives and neighborhoods have been transformed by drug abuse.

Having dissolved the main opposition party, Cambodia’s ruling party faces certain victory in a July 29 national election even as its crackdown on dissent continues. This multipart series features profiles of voters, politicians and the communities looking ahead to the election.

China is investing more than $1 trillion in roads, bridges, railways, ports, and power plants in more than 70 countries — a bold strategy to steer global commerce its way and reclaim its Silk Road heritage. Produced in partnership with RFE/RL, RFA, Martí Noticias and Alhurra.

Ethiopia has a new prime minister and a reshuffled cabinet. It’s closed a notorious prison and released high-profile prisoners. Will deeper changes follow, or is it business as usual for the country’s powerful ruling coalition?

When Raqqa, the Islamic State stronghold, began to fall, some devoted to the cause fled, trying to distance themselves from ISIS. Among them is Aysha, who married an ISIS fighter. Here is her story told in graphic novel format.

In November 2017, an unprecedented series of events changed the course of Zimbabwe’s history leading to longtime leader Robert Mugabe ceding power at 93. What happens next will depend on a complex web of connections that has given Zimbabwe its first new leader in 37 years.

There have been a series of embarrassing leaks of private conversations between President Trump and foreign leaders. Here's a graphic explaining how phone calls between POTUS and foreign leaders have traditionally been handled and kept private.

The Trump administration has acted aggressively on the President's signature campaign promise, cutting back on immigration in the name of national security. This timeline documents how illegal immigrants have been rounded up in greater numbers, visas have been curtailed and a border wall is in the works.

Will the Iraqi government do any better in the aftermath of victory than its foes, or will another extremist force – be it tribal, ethnic, or sectarian – once again gain the upper hand. This collection of stories profiles the people who lived under the Islamic State, the battle to reclaim Mosul and looks ahead to the future.

VOA reporters traveled to a stretch of rural counties along the upper Mississippi River that switched from supporting Democrat Barack Obama in 2012 to backing Republican Donald Trump in 2016. They spoke to farmers and carpenters, factory workers and retirees in these working and middle class communities.

The internet crackles with potential. But in many countries, online freedoms are stifled by state censorship, surveillance, disinformation and economic inequality. This collection brings together reports from China, Russia, Cuba, Somalia and the Middle East, showing how the struggle for internet freedom plays out in the lives of ordinary citizens. Produced in partnership with RFE/RL, RFA, Martí Noticias and Alhurra.

Boko Haram is known for secrecy and carefully hides the identities of members and their whereabouts. VOA obtained 18 hours of uncut videos in which the group recorded scenes of its own brutality. The images testify to the devastating suffering Nigerians endured under the terrorist organization.

On Inauguration Day, the newly sworn-in president delivers a speech outlining his intentions during his term in office. With this interactive graphic, explore the history of U.S. presidential inaugural addresses, compare how frequently specific words are used, and look for trends in the language.

President Barack Obama began his first term in 2009 with the Nobel Peace Prize for his support of multilateral diplomacy, nuclear disarmament and combating climate change. Can President-elect Donald Trump roll back some of Obama’s key accomplishments?

One-third of global maritime traffic. An estimated $5 trillion in annual trade. Six claimant nations. One body of water. And that’s just on the surface. This project features original analysis, reporting, maps and timelines detailing the rival claims to the South China Sea.

Every U.S. presidential election provides an opportunity for millions of newly eligible voters to make their voices count. This collection presents six first-time voters from across the political spectrum explaining how they'll make their choice.

The arrest and death of 25-year old Freddie Gray, an African American man who suffered fatal injuries while in police custody, sparked some of the worst violence since the 1960's. The unrest exposed some of Baltimore's social and economic hardships.

Online freedoms can be stifled by state censorship, surveillance and disinformation. This VOA special report uses comic book introductions to explain the tools and techniques to help circumvent online threats.